Abstract:

An apparatus for managing a plurality of RFID readers includes a service
policy managing unit that defines demands in the form of service policies
to be understood by the plurality of RFID readers, a data processing rule
managing unit that generates a data processing rule on the basis of the
service policies, a collected data processing unit that receives a
plurality of RFID tag data from the plurality of RFID readers, and
generates integrated RFID events by applying the data processing rule to
the plurality of RFID tag data, and a service report processing unit that
provides results corresponding to the integrated RFID events.

Claims:

1. An apparatus for managing a plurality of RFID readers, the apparatus
comprising:a service policy managing unit that defines demands in the
form of service policies to be understood by the plurality of RFID
readers;a data processing rule managing unit that generates a data
processing rule on the basis of the service policies;a collected data
processing unit that receives a plurality of RFID tag data from the
plurality of RFID readers, and generates integrated RFID events by
applying the data processing rule to the plurality of RFID tag data; anda
service report processing unit that provides results corresponding to the
integrated RFID events.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:a reader managing unit
that generates a reader integration managing rule corresponding to the
plurality of RFID readers on the basis of the service policies; anda
reader controller that analyzes the reader integration managing rule and
transmits control instructions to each of the plurality of RFID readers.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data processing rule comprises
the contents of the processing of the plurality of RFID tag data.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a service information
generator that transmits results, which are obtained by comparing the
integrated RFID events in accordance with a relation analyzing rule, to
the service report processing unit,wherein the data processing rule
managing unit generates the relation analyzing rule used to analyze the
correlation between the integrated RFID events that are generated in
accordance with the data processing rule.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of RFID readers have
different frequency characteristics.

6. A method of driving an apparatus for managing a plurality of RFID
readers receiving a plurality of RFID tag data, the method
comprising:defining demands, which are desired by a user or an
application service, in the form of service policies to be understood by
the plurality of RFID readers;generating a data processing rule, which is
used to process the plurality of RFID tag data, on the basis of the
service policies;generating integrated RFID events by applying the data
processing rule to the plurality of RFID tag data; andcomparing the
integrated RFID events in accordance with a relation analyzing rule.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the generating of the data processing
rule further comprises:generating a reader integration managing rule,
which corresponds to the plurality of RFID readers, on the basis of the
service policies; andanalyzing the reader integration managing rule and
transmitting control instructions to each of the plurality of RFID
readers.

8. A method of driving an apparatus for managing a plurality of RFID
readers, the method comprising:storing demands as service policies that
comprise conditions and actions corresponding to the conditions;receiving
a plurality of RFID tag data from the plurality of RFID readers by
applying a first rule that is generated in accordance with the conditions
and actions of the service policies;converting the plurality of RFID tag
data into integrated RFID events by applying a second rule that is
generated in accordance with the conditions and actions of the service
policies; andanalyzing the integrated RFID events in accordance with a
third rule that is generated in accordance with the conditions and
actions of the service policies, and providing analyzed results.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the receiving of the plurality of RFID
tag data further comprises analyzing the first rule and transmitting
control instructions to each of the plurality of RFID readers.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first rule comprises a rule
controlling each of the plurality of RFID readers,the second rule
comprises a rule processing the plurality of RFID tag data, andthe third
rule comprises a rule analyzing the integrated RFID events.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of RFID readers have
different frequency characteristics.

Description:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001]This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent
Application No. 10-2007-0121326 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property
Office on Nov. 27, 2007, the entire contents of which are incorporated
herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002](a) Field of the Invention

[0003]The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for
managing a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader.

[0004]The present invention is supported by the IT R&D program of MIC/IITA
[2007-S-024-01, Development of SSI(Software System Infrastructure)
Platform Technology for Advanced RFID services].

[0005](b) Description of the Related Art

[0006]RFID reader management technology is used to discriminate an RFID
tag existing in a recognition range of a specific RFID reader by
controlling the specific RFID reader. Various level software solutions,
such as a reader adaptor for transmitting control instructions to an RFID
reader, RFID middleware for generating an event by interpreting collected
RFID tag data, and the like, are used in the RFID reader management
technology.

[0007]In this case, the RFID tag and the RFID reader have peculiar
characteristics depending on frequency bandwidth or electric power that
is supported by a corresponding device, a communication method, and the
rate of transmitted/received data. That is, when auxiliary electric power
is used for communication between the RFID tag and the RFID reader, a
read range is increased. A read range and data transmission speed depend
on the frequency bandwidth and frequency wavelength of the RFID reader.

[0008]Therefore, when different kinds of RFID tags should be
simultaneously used, different RFID readers for communicating with the
respective RFID tags should be simultaneously controlled to collect data.
For example, when a RFID tag using ultrahigh frequency (UHF) having a
band of 900 MHz and a RFID tag using high frequency (HF) having a band of
13.56 MHz are used together to exactly discriminate airfreight, two kinds
of RFID readers for recognizing the RFID tags should be simultaneously
controlled.

[0009]Since individual instructions should be transmitted to each of the
RFID readers in order to simultaneously control the RFID readers having
different frequency bandwidths as described above, it is not possible to
perform consistent control. Further, when each of the RFID readers is
controlled by individual instructions, there is a problem that data
collected by the RFID reader should be separately processed. Therefore,
there is a demand for an apparatus and method capable of consistently
controlling RFID readers and RFID tags that have different frequency
bandwidths.

[0010]The above information disclosed in this Background section is only
for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and
therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art
that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in
the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011]The present invention has been made in an effort to provide an
apparatus and method for managing an RFID reader that can integrally
control RFID readers having different characteristics and provide
high-level service information by using data collected from RFID tags
having different characteristics.

[0012]According to an embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus
for managing a plurality of RFID readers includes a service policy
managing unit that defines demands in the form of service policies to be
understood by the plurality of RFID readers, a data processing rule
managing unit that generates a data processing rule on the basis of the
service policies, a collected data processing unit that receives a
plurality of RFID tag data from the plurality of RFID readers and
generates integrated RFID events by applying the data processing rule to
the plurality of RFID tag data, and a service report processing unit that
provides results corresponding to the integrated RFID events.

[0013]According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is
provided a method of driving an apparatus for managing a plurality of
RFID readers receiving a plurality of RFID tag data. The method includes
defining demands, which are desired by a user or an application service,
in the form of service policies to be understood by the plurality of RFID
readers; generating a data processing rule, which is used to process the
plurality of RFID tag data, on the basis of the service policies,
generating integrated RFID events by applying the data processing rule to
the plurality of RFID tag data, and comparing the integrated RFID events
in accordance with a relation analyzing rule.

[0014]According to still another embodiment of the present invention,
there is provided a method of driving an apparatus for managing a
plurality of RFID readers. The method includes storing demands as service
policies that include conditions and actions corresponding to the
conditions, receiving a plurality of RFID tag data from the plurality of
RFID readers by applying a first rule that is generated in accordance
with the conditions and actions of the service policies, converting the
plurality of RFID tag data into integrated RFID events by applying a
second rule that is generated in accordance with the conditions and
actions of the service policies, and analyzing the integrated RFID events
in accordance with a third rule that is generated in accordance with the
conditions and actions of the service policies, and providing analyzed
results.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015]FIG. 1 is a view schematically showing an RFID system that has
different frequency characteristics.

[0016]FIG. 2 is a view schematically showing an RFID system according to
an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0017]FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an apparatus for managing an RFID
reader according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0018]FIG. 4 is a view schematically illustrating a process for
controlling an RFID reader in the apparatus for managing an RFID reader
according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0019]FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process for controlling the
RFID reader in the apparatus for managing an RFID reader according to the
exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0020]In the following detailed description, only certain exemplary
embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described,
simply by way of illustration. As those skilled in the art would realize,
the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all
without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.
Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as
illustrative in nature and not restrictive. Like reference numerals
designate like elements throughout the specification.

[0021]It will be further understood that the terms "comprise" and/or
"comprising", when used in this specification, specify the presence of
stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or
components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more
other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or
groups thereof.

[0022]An RFID system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0023]FIG. 1 is a view schematically showing an RFID system that has
different frequency characteristics, and FIG. 2 is a view schematically
showing an RFID system according to an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention.

[0024]As shown in FIG. 1, the RFID system includes RFID readers 100, 110,
and 120 that have different frequency characteristics.

[0025]Since having different frequency bandwidths, the RFID readers 100,
110, and 120 are individually controlled. Accordingly, a user or an
application service receives low-level events A, B, and C from the
different RFID readers 100, 110, and 120, respectively.

[0026]For example, if a vehicle belongs to HANKOOK PD Inc., the RFID
reader 100 reads a vehicle tag and provides an event A, which represents
that the vehicle belongs to HANKOOK PD Inc., to the user or the
application service. If TV products are loaded in a container, the RFID
reader 110 reads a container tag and provides an event B, which
represents that TV products are loaded in the container, to the user or
the application service. Further, if the number of boxes is larger than
20, the RFID reader 120 reads box tags and provides an event C, which
represents that the number of boxes is larger than 20, to the user or the
application service.

[0027]As described above, the RFID readers 100, 110, and 120 having
different frequency characteristics are individually controlled, and
provide low-level events to the user or the application service. The user
or application service requires additional data processing in order to
connect the events. Further, if a part of the RFID readers 100, 110, and
120 is replaced with an RFID reader having new frequency characteristics,
there may be a problem in that a user or an application service should be
developed again.

[0028]In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, an RFID system, which
can integrally control RFID readers having different frequency
characteristics, will be described in an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention.

[0029]As shown in FIG. 2, an RFID system according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention includes RFID readers 100, 110, and
120 having different frequency characteristics and an apparatus 200 for
managing the RFID readers.

[0030]The apparatus 200 for managing the RFID readers controls the RFID
readers 100, 110, and 120, provides total service information, and
provides a high-level RFID service where the user or the application
service and the individual events A, B, and C are integrated with each
other.

[0031]For example, the apparatus 200 for managing the RFID readers
controls the RFID reader 100 so that the RFID reader 100 reads the tag of
a vehicle belonging to HAN KOOK PD Inc., and receives an event A, which
represents that the vehicle belongs to HANKOOK PD Inc., from the RFID
reader 100. The apparatus 200 for managing the RFID readers controls the
RFID reader 110 so that the RFID reader 110 reads a tag of a container in
which TV products are loaded, and receives an event B, which represents
that the TV products are loaded in the container, from the RFID reader
110. Further, the apparatus 200 for managing the RFID readers controls
the RFID reader 120 so that the RFID reader 120 reads tags of boxes of
which the number is larger than 20, and receives an event C, which
represents that the number of the boxes is larger than 20, from the RFID
reader 120. Accordingly, the apparatus 200 for managing the RFID readers
provides a high-level integrated event D by integrating information
representing that the vehicle belongs to HANKOOK PD Inc., the TV products
are loaded in the container, and the number of the boxes in the container
is larger than 20.

[0032]The apparatus for managing an RFID reader according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below
with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5.

[0033]FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the apparatus for managing RFID readers
according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
4 is a view schematically illustrating a process for controlling the RFID
readers in the apparatus for managing RFID readers according to the
exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0035]The service policy managing unit 210 defines a business logic, which
is required to provide high-level service information desired by a user,
in the form of a service policy (RFID service policy) that can be
understood by the RFID reader. Then, the service policy managing unit
stores the defined business logic. Further, the service policy managing
unit 210 provides management tools so that a user can easily convert an
abstract business logic into a service policy by using a graphical user
interface (GUI) environment or an automatic compiler and describe the
converted service policy.

[0036]The data processing rule managing unit 220 generates a data
processing rule and a relation analyzing rule on the basis of the service
policy generated by the service policy managing unit 210.

[0037]Specifically, the data processing rule managing unit 220 generates a
data processing rule in order to process RFID tag data that are collected
from different RFID readers, and stores the data processing rule in a
database. Then, the data processing rule managing unit transmits the
generated data processing rule to the collected data processing unit 250.
In this case, the data processing rule specifies the contents of the
processing of RFID tags data in due consideration of the logical RFID
reader units, of which information can be looked up from the reader
managing unit 230.

[0038]Further, the data processing rule managing unit 220 generates the
relation analyzing rule in order to analyze the correlation between
integrated RFID events that are generated in accordance with the data
processing rule, and stores the relation analyzing rule in the database.
Then, the data processing rule managing unit transmits the generated
relation analyzing rule to the service information generator 260.

[0039]The reader managing unit 230 extracts a logical reader control
instruction on the basis of the service policy generated by the service
policy managing unit 210, generates a reader integration managing rule,
stores the reader integration managing rule in the database, and
transmits the generated reader integration managing rule to the reader
controller 240. Further, the reader managing unit 230 grasps the states
of different RFID readers that are currently connected thereto.

[0040]The reader controller 240 analyzes the reader integration managing
rule transmitted from the reader managing unit 230, and transmits control
instructions to each of the RFID readers. Further, the reader controller
240 receives and processes responses, which are transmitted from each of
the RFID readers, in accordance with the control instructions.

[0041]The collected data processing unit 250 receives RFID tag data from
each of the RFID readers that are controlled in accordance with the
control instructions. Further, the collected data processing unit 250
integrates data as a logical unit in accordance with the data processing
rule transmitted from the data processing rule managing unit 220, thereby
generating an integrated RFID event. The collected data processing unit
250 transmits the generated integrated RFID event to the service
information generator 260.

[0042]The service information generator 260 analyzes the correlation
between integrated RFID events on the basis of the relation analyzing
rule that is generated by the data processing rule managing unit 220,
thereby generating high-level service information.

[0043]The service report processing unit 270 transmits the high-level
service information, which is transmitted from the service information
generator 260, to the user or the application service in real-time in the
various forms of an object, an extensible markup language (XML) document,
a message, and a load.

[0044]Referring to FIG. 4, the apparatus 200 for managing RFID readers
manages demands from the user or the application service as service
policies in order to connect the total management of the RFID readers,
which have different frequency characteristics, with a business process.
That is, whenever a new business process is generated, an application is
not separately developed and the apparatus for managing RFID readers
processes a demand corresponding to new business as a new service policy,
so that high-level service information is provided.

[0045]In order to process the RFID tag data that are collected from the
RFID readers having different frequency characteristics, the apparatus
200 for managing an RFID reader defines user's demands as service
policies that are composed of conditions and actions corresponding to the
conditions. Further, the apparatus 200 for managing an RFID reader
analyzes the RFID tag data, which are collected from the RFID readers
having different frequency characteristics, on the basis of the service
policies, and provides high-level service information to the user or the
application service.

[0046]Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 and Table 1, in order to provide
user's demands, the service policy managing unit 210 defines a business
logic in the form that can be understood by the RFID reader, that is,
"compare RFID tag data passing through a gate 1 with RFID tag data
passing through a gate 2 at an interval of 5 minutes, and make a warning
report unless the RFID tag data correspond to each other", as a service
policy.

[0047]In this case, the reader managing unit 230 generates a reader
integration managing rule on the basis of the service policy, and then
transmits the reader integration managing rule to the reader controller
240. That is, the reader managing unit 230 generates a reader integration
managing rule, that is, "control RFID readers existing at the gate 1 and
collect RFID tag data within a recognition range", and transmits the
reader integration managing rule to the reader controller 240. Further,
the reader managing unit 230 generates a reader integration managing
rule, that is, "control RFID readers existing at the gate 2 and collect
RFID tag data within a recognition range", and transmits the reader
integration managing rule to the reader controller 240.

[0048]Then, the reader controller 240 analyzes the reader integration
managing rules transmitted from the reader managing unit 230, and
transmits control instructions to each of the RFID readers. That is, the
reader controller 240 transmits control instructions, that is, "conform a
cart to which a 433 MHz tag is attached", to a 433 MHz RFID reader of the
RFID readers of the gate 1, and transmits control instructions, that is,
"conform an item to which a 900 MHz tag is attached", to a 900 MHz RFID
reader. Further, the reader controller 240 transmits control
instructions, that is, "conform a cart to which a 433 MHz tag is
attached", to a 433 MHz RFID reader of the RFID readers of the gate 2,
transmits control instructions, that is, "conform an item to which a 900
MHz tag is attached", to a 900 MHz RFID reader 1, and transmits control
instructions, that is, "conform an item to which a 900 MHz tag is
attached", to a 900 MHz RFID reader 2.

[0049]The data processing rule managing unit 220 generates a data
processing rule, that is, "arrange data lost for the last 5 minutes
except for duplicated data among the data collected from the RFID readers
existing at the gate 1", on the basis of the service policy, and
transmits the data processing rule to the collected data processing unit
250. Further, the data processing rule managing unit 220 generates a data
processing rule, that is, "arrange data newly transmitted for the last 5
minutes except for duplicated data among the data collected from the RFID
readers existing at the gate 2", and transmits the data processing rule
to the collected data processing unit 250.

[0050]Accordingly, the collected data processing unit 250 receives RFID
tag data from each of the RFID readers that are controlled in accordance
with the control instructions transmitted from the reader controller 240.
Further, the collected data processing unit 250 integrates RFID tag data,
which are transmitted from the RFID readers existing at the gate 1, as a
logical unit in accordance with the data processing rule, thereby
generating an integrated RFID event. Then, the collected data processing
unit transmits the generated integrated RFID event to the service
information generator 260. For example, if the cart 1, cart 2, item 1,
item 2, item 3, and item 4 among the RFID tag data meet the data
processing rule, that is, "arrange data lost for the last 5 minutes
except for duplicated data among the data collected from the RFID readers
existing at the gate 1", the integrated RFID events corresponding to the
RFID readers existing at the gate 1 include information about the cart 1,
cart 2, item 1, item 2, item 3, and item 4.

[0051]Further, the collected data processing unit 250 integrates the RFID
tag data, which are transmitted from the RFID readers existing at the
gate 2, as a logical unit in accordance with the data processing rule,
thereby generating an integrated RFID event. Then, the collected data
processing unit 250 transmits the generated integrated RFID event to the
service information generator 260. For example, if the cart 1, item 1,
and item 2 among the RFID tag data meet the data processing rule, that
is, "arrange data newly transmitted for the last 5 minutes except for
duplicated data among the data collected from the RFID readers existing
at the gate 2", the integrated RFID events corresponding to the RFID
readers existing at the gate 2 include information about the cart 1, item
1, and item 2.

[0052]The service information generator 260 analyzes the correlation
between the integrated RFID events in accordance with the relation
analyzing rule, that is, "compare the integrated RFID events
corresponding to the RFID readers existing at the gate 1 with the
integrated RFID events corresponding to the RFID readers existing at the
gate 2, and make a warning report unless the integrated RFID events
correspond to each other". That is, the service information generator 260
compares the information about the cart 1, cart 2, item 1, item 2, item
3, and item 4 that are included in the integrated RFID events
corresponding to the RFID readers existing at the gate 1, with the
information about the cart 1, item 1, and item 2 that are included in the
integrated RFID events corresponding to the RFID readers existing at the
gate 2. Then, the service information generator generates high-level
service information, that is, "the item 3, item 4, and cart 2 passing
through the gate 1 did not pass through the gate 2", by using the result
of the comparison.

[0053]The service report processing unit 270 transmits the high-level
service information transmitted from the service information generator
260, that is, "the item 3, item 4, and cart 2 passing through the gate 1
did not pass through the gate 2", to the user or the application service
in real-time.

[0054]FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process for controlling the
RFID reader in the apparatus for managing an RFID reader according to the
exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0055]As shown in FIG. 5, the service policy managing unit 210 stores a
service policy in the form that can be understood by the RFID reader, in
order to provide high-level service information that is desired by a user
(S100).

[0056]The reader managing unit 230 generates a reader integration managing
rule on the basis of the service policy, and transmits the reader
integration managing rule to the reader controller 240 (S200). Then, the
reader controller 240 analyzes the reader integration managing rule, and
transmits control instructions to each of the RFID readers (S300).

[0058]The collected data processing unit 250 receives RFID tag data from
the RFID readers, generates an integrated RFID event in accordance with
the data processing rule, and transmits the integrated RFID event to the
service information generator 260 (S500). Then, the service information
generator 260 analyzes the correlation between the integrated RFID events
on the basis of the relation analyzing rule (S600).

[0059]The service report processing unit 270 makes the analysis result in
the form of a service report, and provides the service report to the user
or the application service (S700).

[0060]As described above, the apparatus for managing an RFID reader
according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention manages
the RFID readers having different frequency characteristics by using a
standardized control method, and integrally process the RFID tag data
that are received from the RFID readers having different frequency
characteristics. Therefore, the apparatus for managing an RFID reader
efficiently controls the RFID readers having different frequency
characteristics.

[0061]In addition, it is possible to integrally control RFID readers of
which frequency bandwidths are different from each other, and to generate
high-level service information by integrally processing RFID tag data
received by RFID readers.

[0062]Further, a user or an application service conducts business in an
environment, which includes RFID readers having different frequency
characteristics, without technical limitation, increase the demands of
industries related to RFID, and facilitate the revitalization and
popularization of RFID.

[0063]The above-mentioned exemplary embodiments of the present invention
are not embodied only by a method and apparatus. Alternatively, the
above-mentioned exemplary embodiments may be embodied by a program
performing functions that correspond to the configuration of the
exemplary embodiments of the present invention, or a recording medium on
which the program is recorded. These embodiments can be easily devised
from the description of the above-mentioned exemplary embodiments by
those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains.

[0064]While this invention has been described in connection with what is
presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be
understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed
embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various
modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and
scope of the appended claims.